Lucy's Turn
by NoseyHeiffer
Summary: In a drunken rampage, Lucy, Rumplestiltskin's ex-sister-in-law, gives him something to think about. Can Gold and Belle stay together? Or will he find new love elsewhere? This is the third story in my "Lucy" series.
1. Chapter 1

I still haven't don't own Once Upon A Time. Wish I did.

This is the third in my "Lucy" series of stories. Lucy is an OC, but she is NOT a Mary Sue.

This story has not been beta-read. Is anyone out there interested in the job? Please read and enjoy. AND please review!

Lucy's Turn

Chapter 1

"Sheriff Swan," Ruby blurted out, "you'd better get down here right away."

Emma rubbed the sleep from her eyes, as she answered the phone. "Wha's goin' on, Ruby?" A yawn garbled her speech.

"Emma!" Ruby yelled. "Wake up! Gold's girlfriend is drunk as a skunk, and she won't leave." Belligerent voices were heard arguing in the background. The louder, insistent voice was clearly Granny's. The other voice, slurred and arrogant, must belonged to Gold's mysterious girlfriend.

The very thought that the creepy old man was a two-timing player burst through her drowsy mind like a grenade. Emma sat bolt upright in bed. "Gold has a girlfriend?" she shouted into the phone, waking her bed partner. "You mean he's two-timing Belle?"

Ruby growled with frustration. "Just get over here now, Emma! And, you'd better bring help! Granny's gone to get her crossbow!"

The clattering, ringing sounds of broken glass and shouting voices nearly deafened Sheriff Emma Swan. Even Killian, still half-asleep, heard the noise over the phone line. He leapt from the bed and was half-dressed before Emma.

"Ok, on my way," Emma stated as professionally as she could manage. "Killian," she asked, "what time is it anyway?"

"Quarter to three, love," he answered softly.

Quickly, she hurried into her clothes, holstered her gun, and pulled her hair into a messy ponytail. When she finished, Killian was already at the door waiting for her.

"Ready?" he asked.

Emma inhaled deeply, quirking an eyebrow. "I hope so."

"I dare ya, ya ol' cow!" The cantankerous drunken voice could be heard in the street.

Sheriff Swan, followed closely by Killian, entered Granny's dinner to find the owner threatening Storybrooke's defense attorney with her crossbow.

The proprietor's sea green eyes were rock steady as she glared at the younger woman, and her finger held firmly on the trigger of her weapon. By contrast, the youthful attorney was wobbling on unsteady legs. Her once crisp navy blue business suit was crumpled and stained.

"Put that down, Mrs. Lucas," Sheriff Emma Swan ordered the older woman.

The widow Lucas remained stock still, not giving an inch. Her cool-as-a-cucumber façade was marred only by tiny beads of perspiration dotting her brow. "I will when she hands over that dagger," Granny retorted calmly.

" 'shnot gonna happ'n," the public defender replied in a smug sing-song voice. She jerked her head back and forth. "Nup, nup, nup." Her usually neat bun had come loose, and her hair was stringing about her face. She looked like a broken bobble head doll. With drunken elegance, Lucy twisted the navy blue belt back around to the front so she could grasp the handle of the Kris dagger. "Do ya know whut thish ish?" she demanded imperiously. "Thish ish Rumbleshitskin's dagger," Lucy Farmer explained carefully.

Killian snorted and broke out in loud and delighted guffaws of laughter.

Lucy wheeled around and turned her flashing blue eyes on the ex-pirate. "Jush wha da hell ya laffin at, Barnacle Boy?" Frowning slightly, she staggered back around to face Granny. She held one hand on the dagger like a gunslinger while she pointed a finger at the older woman. "No, shee here, you bedder put tha thang down cuz thash a dangeroush weapon an Rubblespitskin ish my - " Lucy broke off abruptly. She squeezed her eyes shut for a long moment while she wobbled in place.

"Ms. Farmer," Emma held out her arms and took a small step forward, "why don't you just settle down, and we - "

Lucy opened her eyes, squinting back and forth between Emma and Granny, and tried again. "No! No! Shee, Ruppleshiltspin ish my - " Lucy stumbled slightly to the left and nodded vigorously at Ruby. "Hey, whaeverdahell hish name ish, well, hesh my - " Again, she stopped in mid-sentence, but this time she swallowed hard. Her face was as white as a sheet.

Seizing the moment, Sheriff Swan gently took the attorney by the arm. She pitched her voice low and soft. "Ms. Farmer, just let me help you, okay?"

Slowly, then, the town's defense attorney turned to face the Sheriff. "Sheriff Shwan? I don' feel sho good." She promptly threw up over and over, splattering Emma's shoes.

With a disgusted sigh and snort, Granny lowered her crossbow and set it on the counter. Hands on her hips, she pointed to the disgusting mess on her floor, which was increasing with every heave. "And who's gonna clean that up?" she demanded.

Emma winced with every retch of the lawyer, but she held the petite woman compassionately by the shoulders. Repulsive though the whole situation was, she could remember quite vividly doing the same thing herself once or twice. "Well, I don't think Ms. Farmer is capable of cleaning it at the moment," she told Granny. "I'll get her home, and you can send her a bill for the cleaning in the morning, all right?"

Killian Jones covered his mouth with his fist and loudly cleared his throat. With a broad smirk, he winked at Granny. "I think, maybe, the lady should call 'Rumbleshitskin' to clean the mess," he suggested slyly. He pointed to the Kris dagger hanging around her waist like a dirty loin cloth. "She has his dagger and with it control of the dreaded Dark One."

"Oh, I'd love to see that," Granny asserted with a chuckle. She snatched a couple of napkins from a holder and wiped the sweat beads from her brow. "Watching Mr. Gold cleaning up puke from the floor of my dinner at three in the morning is just what I need." She arched a lone brow until it disappeared under a sweat dampened gray curl. "And," she offered, upping the ante, "I'll drop all charges against her if she can get him to clean it up." She gave a feral grin.

"And 'Rumbleshitskin' could take her home, too," Killian added cleverly. "No troubling paperwork." He grinned, his perfect teeth shining like pearls. "So, what do you say?" he addressed Storybrooke's defense attorney. "Will you summon the Dark One, Madam Solicitor?"

Lucy's blonde hair was sticking to her pallid face. Her bloodshot blue eyes were unnaturally bright with tears as she turned them up towards the tall pirate. "Whaddid ya call me?" she whispered through her whiskey haze. "Um na no husshy." She began to sob, and she clutched Emma's red jacket. "Make tha mean man take it back," she begged.

Emma frowned. Her good leather jacket was being ruined by tears, snot, and vomit. "Killian," she growled, "apologize to the lady."

"But I didn't say - " he sputtered. Emma gave him a wide-eyed, shut-up-and-do-as-I-say glare. He ducked his head. "Ms. Farmer," he said formally, "I sincerely regret that anything I have said may have caused you undue stress. I would not, for a kingdom's keep, willingly impinge the honor of a lady." He bowed gallantly towards all of the women present, including a hard-eyed Granny and a blushing Ruby. He concluded, "I can only profoundly beg for your gracious forgiveness."

Jones raised his eyebrows in a quick question, and Emma answered with a short nod. Ms. Farmer's reply was an inarticulate something, which everyone took as acceptance of his pseudo-apology. She suddenly plopped down unceremoniously on the floor, barely escaping the foul-smelling puddle. Pulling out the dagger, she held it to her breast and called for the Dark One.

"Pumppleshlitzfin, I command you to appear." When he didn't appear, a look of hurt passed swiftly across her face; it was followed immediately by one of anger. "Damnit," she mumbled to herself. A frown cut across her forehead, and she gripped the dagger with fervor. "Hey, Dark One!" she exclaimed. "Get yor shkinny ash here now!"

A profound, purple cloud of smoke pooled up from the puddle of puke. When it cleared, there stood a very bewildered Dark One dressed in dark blue silk pajamas with pale blue trim. "What the - " He didn't finish this thought because he suddenly noticed the disgusting half-digested, whiskey-sodden mass beneath his bare feet. He transferred his weight heavily onto his good left leg and gingerly lifted his right foot, inspecting with revulsion the detritus clinging between his toes.

Fear encircled the room as he deliberately settled his foot back into the mess and coolly surveyed each individual. His stormy brown eyes lingered a tad too long for comfort on each person in the diner. The corner of his upper lip trembled with the effort not to completely lose his composure, and his voice vibrated with near rage. "To whom do I owe the _pleasure_ of requesting my presence?" Violent violet magical sparks flared randomly from his fingertips.

"Rubble!" Lucy cried with delight. Her attempt to scramble up from the floor ended in disaster as she slipped and fell at his feet. Dagger still firmly gripped in her right hand, Lucy managed to shift onto her hands and knees. Pure love shone in her eyes for all to see as she looked up at him. A brilliant smile softened her face. "Hey, Rupple," she hiccough the last syllable.

When the near homicidal anger had drained from his features, a collective sigh was released from those present. "Lucy," he sighed and heaved her upright. He held her against his good left side to keep her steady. "You're drunk," he stated the obvious. "And, filthy." He grimaced. Gently, he reached for her hand holding the dagger and guided it back into the sheath belted around her waist.

Gold turned towards Emma, pointedly ignoring the others. "Good morning, Sheriff Swan," he growled. "Perhaps you'd be so good as to explain."

"Yeah," she told him. "Your, ah, friend -" Emma pointed to Lucy, who was cuddling unashamedly against him. " - got plastered and damaged the place. She thought you might take care of the situation."

Gold grunted. "Mrs. Lucas, I'll cover any expenses you may have incurred. Good night." He raised his hand to whisk them away but was stopped by Emma.

"See, Mrs. Lucas agreed not to press any charges if you'd personally clean up the damages yourself," Emma added. She pointed towards the repugnant puddle of puke.

"She did?" Gold asked slowly. He turned a steely eyed face towards the proprietor. Granny, clearly refusing to be intimidated, held out a cleaning rag and a bucket and grinned at him.

Killian couldn't resist. "Oh, yes," he added, "Ms. Farmer clearly reassured us that her beloved 'Rumbleshitskin' would fix everything." He tilted his head, eyes sparkling, and smirked smugly at the older man.

Gold's eyes glittered with hatred at the pirate, but they softened when he heard Lucy. Arms wrapped about his waist, she told everyone, "Oh, he can! Rummel can fixsh everythin cuz hesh wonnerful." Her eyes sparkled with love.

Inhaling loudly and deeply, Gold asked, "And if I agree to clean up and repair the damages 'personally' tonight, may I take Ms. Farmer and leave this wretched establishment?"

A volley of agreement answered his question. A smile, which caused more than one of them to quiver in fear, spread across his features. "It's a deal," he ground out. With a magnificent sweep of his arm and a tremendous explosion of wine-colored smoke, Granny's dinner was swept clean. In fact, it was far cleaner than it had ever been. When the smoke cleared, Gold and Lucy were gone.


	2. Chapter 2

I still haven't don't own Once Upon A Time. Wish I did.

This is the third in my "Lucy" series of stories. Lucy is an OC, but she is NOT a Mary Sue.

This story has not been beta-read. Is anyone out there interested in the job? Please read and enjoy. AND please review.

Chapter 2

They materialized with a slight popping sound in the master bathroom of Lucy's apartment. _Was it only this morning that I was here?_ Gold asked himself. He held Lucy upright as he magically turned on the shower. Then, with an unceremonious shove, he pushed the drunken woman into the cold spray.

She screamed as the icy water hit her. "Rumple!"

The shriek echoed off the bath tiles and, in the close confines, made his ears ring. He hoped fervently for one short vicious moment that she had one hell of a hangover the next morning. She'd certainly earned one and deserved it, too.

Although she struggled against his arms holding her in the icy water, Lucy made no headway. Surrendering to the situation, Lucy collapsed against the tiles and slid slowly down into a sodden heap on the bottom of the shower. She sat stunned and shivering while the water soaked her.

"Good," he told her. "You stay right there." Withdrawing his hand, he flexed his fingers casually, cleaning himself.

Limping barefoot without his cane into Lucy's bedroom, Gold rummaged around in her dresser until he found a pair of pale blue silk pajamas. He mumbled to himself, keeping up a steady diatribe. When it came to dealing with the fairer sex, he got the worst end of the bargain every time he let his emotions get in the way.

It all started with Milah, his former wife. At the time, he couldn't believe his grand luck in capturing the attentions of a young, beautiful woman. Then she had taken advantage of him and left him and Bae. Out of his love for Milah, he had taken in her younger sisters, helping them both to secure husbands who were good providers. Gerta turned out to be nothing more than a common thief. It was her husband who 'helped' him get into the military, which began his eventual downfall. Between those two sisters, it was a wonder he survived at all. Then, there was dear, sweet Lucy, whose husband had abused her until she ran away. Of the three siblings, she was the only one who was loyal and honest. And she loved him.

Gold shook his head as he hobbled back to the bath. Lucy had never caused him trouble. Not really - except with Belle. His wife knew that Lucy loved him, and she was quite jealous. That slight domestic trouble was all the concern she'd ever caused him, and honestly, she had more than made up for that with the times that she'd saved him.

He stood a moment watching her as frigid water hissed against her. She shivered and her teeth were chattering as she sat in a fully clothed puddle inside the shower. Gold shook his head. _Lucy, Lucy, Lucy,_ he thought, _what could possible have possessed you to do something so irresponsible? _Her eyes were closed, but they popped open when he turned off the water.

Lucy looked up at him with sorrowful eyes. He raised a questioning eyebrow at her, and she nodded woefully. Maintaining his patience, Gold waited while she slowly climbed to her still unstable feet.

"Um sorry, Rumple," she muttered through a whiskey thickened tongue.

He sighed as he placed the pajamas on the counter. She looked so young and helpless. How could he stay angry with her? "All right, Lucy, if you think you're sober enough," he said, "we'll get you out." Carefully, he helped her out of the shower. "You get dry and dressed. I'll wait for you and clean up the mess when you're done." Turning his back, he exited the bath and closed the door, giving her privacy.

A few moments later she softly called his name, and he opened the door. There she stood, listing to the right, held up by the bathroom counter. Her blue eyes were bloodshot, her pale face slightly green, but she was on the way to sobering up. Her wet blond hair, parted neatly in the middle and tucked behind her ears, made her look like a repentant child. Her soft blue pajamas emphasized this appearance.

With no more effort than it would take to swat a fly, Gold cleaned everything in sight. He picked up the drenched belt, scabbard, and dagger. He snorted and shook his head again. "Lucy, how could you?"

That simple statement was all it took to break the dam of emotions. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks, and she swiped them away with a cold, damp wash cloth. "I'm so sorry, Rumple," she muttered over and over.

Gold hung his head. What was he going to do with her? Shuffling forward, he set the belt and dagger on the counter and pulled her into his arms. Tenderly, he held her, allowing her to cry, as he rubbed her back consolingly.

After a few moments, she seemed to gather herself and steel her nerves. Lucy pulled away from him enough to look him in the eye. "I'm sorry I got a little intoxicated and made a scene - "

"A little intoxicated?" He laughed. "Lucy, you were smashed!"

Her pale cheeks reddened a bit at this statement. "Maybe," she conceded.

Again, he laughed at her. Then, he quickly became serious. "Why, Lucy? I've known you since you were fifteen years old. You've never before even touched a drop of alcohol. Why now?"

She frowned, tiny creases forming on either side of her mouth. "Because I was hurt. After all that happened, you just ran right back into Belle's arms without a thought for me or even yourself."

"Lucy," he warned, "Belle and I have made up, and we - "

"No, you're kidding yourself, Rumple," Lucy told him as she held the cold, damp rag against her forehead. "I mean, how many times has she put conditions on your love?"

He really did love Lucy; she was like a little sister. "What do you mean?" he asked carefully. His tone let her know that he would not suffer any negative remarks about Belle, and that she was already treading on thin ice.

Lucy sighed and squeezed her eyes shut tightly. If she was going to have this conversation with him, she was going to make sure that the room was no longer spinning. Peeking from behind one slit eyelid, she found that the room had settled into a slight waver, so she pressed onward. "Well, how many times has she said 'If you can do this' or 'If you promise not do that' then we can be together'?"

"Lucy, I don't want to hear -" Gold growled. He frowned deeply, and any other citizen of Storybrooke would have immediately run for his life. Lucy merely handed him the cold rag and leaned against him, closing her eyes.

"Oh, Rumple," Lucy argued into his chest, cutting him off, "answer me just one question. How many times has she ordered you around?" She mimicked Belle's voice, "If you won't get revenge on Regina; If you don't try to kill Hook; If you could only show me the better man that I know you are." Lucy's voice was still slightly slurred, which ruined the effect, but Rumple still took her meaning plainly.

Gold gritted his teeth and scooped her up. He carried her out of the bathroom and into her room, where he deposited her gently on the bed. Within moments, she was sound asleep, snoring away.

Brusquely, Gold shoved back his anger and hurt. After he and Belle left Granny's diner the night before, they had gone home to talk to out their problems. Belle had stated in plain terms that he was to stop manipulating people. She demanded that become that 'gentle, kind man that I see in you.' Over and over, Gold promised that he would do his utmost to change for her.

They had talked long into the night. In fact, they had just gone to bed when Lucy's call had pulled him away. Now, though, he was having second thoughts about his promises. Belle had issued many rules, but never once had she offered him a compromise. _ Lucy is right_, he thought traitorously, _at least in part._ _Belle has always asked me to change for her, but she's never tried to understand that I can't change overnight. I can only try to be better, but I'm not perfect._

Noting that the time was well past four in the morning, Gold sighed with weariness. Sunrise was only two hours away. He could lie down and catch a couple hours of sleep. There would still enough time after sunrise to rehash with his wife some of her new rules over breakfast. He settled down next to Lucy and pulled a thick down comforter over them both.

Sunrise came and went with neither Lucy nor Gold aware of it. In fact, it was well past noon and nearly three o'clock by the time either one of them stirred. An insistent pounding on the door of the apartment awoke both of them.

Lucy, looking like death warmed over, moaned and crammed Gold's pillow over her face. Gold sat up on the side of the bed and scrubbed his hands over the stubble on his face. Pulling himself upright, he gingerly caught his balance and walked with difficulty towards the noise. _Where the hell did I leave my cane?_

"What?" he yelled in a nasally twang as he snatched open the door. An evil, blinding beam of sunlight assaulted him, piercing his eyes. He squinted and threw up a hand to shield his face.

Deputy David Nolan stood, fist hanging in the air still in mid-motion. His jaw dropped open, and he stood stupefied when the door flung suddenly open. He hadn't really believed all the gossip about Gold fooling around with the public defender even though Killian insisted that it was true. When he was sent to find the businessman, Emma had told him to start at the attorney's apartment. Instead he'd gone to the pawnshop, but when he couldn't find the man, he decided that maybe Emma and Killian were right. Now, he couldn't deny the facts.

Gold stood blinking stupidly in the late afternoon light. His hair was totally disheveled; he was unshaven and still in his dark blue pajamas. Standing right behind him, hanging onto his shoulder, was none other than the bleary-eyed town's public defender, Ms. Lucy Farmer. She, too, looked bed-tousled, complete with bloodshot eyes. It was quite obvious that the two of them had just risen from the same bed. The fact that they seemed to be wearing matching pajamas just added icing on the cake.

"Good morning, Mr. Nolan." Lucy's voice was hoarse, but at least she was polite. "How can I help you?" She squinted out at the brightly lit day like an intellectually challenged vampire.

"Uh, I was just looking for Mr. Gold," he mumbled a reply. "Emma, um, I mean, Sheriff Swan thought you might know where he was."

Gold ground his teeth. He knew how things must look to the deputy, must look to nearly everyone in town by now. He could plainly read what was in Nolan's eyes. The man was thinking the worst of Lucy and himself. Frowning, he growled angrily, "Well, you've found me. What do you want?" If he were back in the Enchanted Forest, he'd be frothing at the mouth with rage right now. "What?" he yelled. "What?"

Nolan was torn between fear and laughter. Only someone with at death wish would dare laugh at a raging Rumplestiltskin, and laughing at Gold was almost as bad. But the absurdity of catching the fearsome man in such a predicament was causing a snicker to rise up in his throat. Luckily, his innate politeness and professional courteousness won out, and he managed to choke back the laughter.

Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out a large envelope, which he handed to the irate man. "I'm sorry, Gold, but I'm here to officially serve you with these divorce papers. Belle signed them this morning, and she had Judge Wolfgang sign them at lunch when you didn't show up."

Gold's face went from an angry red to a livid purple in seconds. Huge veins stood out on his forehead and neck. He exploded. "Damnation!" He snatched the folder from Nolan and ripped it open. Greedily, he began reading through the file.

"She can't do that," Lucy retorted. "Divorce papers are generally held for thirty days before a judge can sign them. It's standard practice." She stood on her tiptoes and peered over Gold's shoulder reading along.

Nolan shrugged helplessly and stuffed his fists into the pockets of his jeans. "Judge Wolfgang agreed to grant the divorce immediately, citing something about extenuating circumstances." He lifted his head and pointed at Gold with his chin. "Apparently, Gold is a suspect in the disappearance of several missing magical individuals. He'll probably be charged with their murders and with the attempted murder of Captain Killian Jones."

Gold snorted angrily. "So, Wolfgang thought it best to save Belle from a marriage made in hell with me?" He glared venomous daggers at the younger man.

Nolan took his hands out of his pockets and rubbed the back of his neck. "Something like that," Nolan admitted uneasily. "Uh, there's also a restraining order against you. It's in the back of the folder." Deputy Nolan pointed lamely towards the folder.

Flipping to the back, Gold extracted the paper and read it through quickly. "Absolutely no contact of any kind, stay a minimum of 1000 yards away, blah, blah, blah." When he again raised his eyes to Nolan, the volcanic anger had cooled to icy contempt. "Anything else, Deputy?" he spat out the words with disgust.

David jerked a thumb towards the road where his truck was parked. "Yeah, uh, Archie and I took the liberty of packing up some of your things. Clothes, toiletries. Just enough to last you for the rest of the week. Belle should be out of the house by then."

Gold's jaw moved back and forth, and they could hear the sound of his teeth grinding. Abruptly, he turned and marched back into the apartment.

"Thank you, Deputy Nolan," Lucy said softly. "That was very thoughtful of you and Archie." She made an effort to fold back the sleeves of her overly large pajamas. "Could I trouble you to bring them in?"


	3. Chapter 3

I still don't own Once Upon A Time. Wish I did. This is the third in my "Lucy" series of stories. Lucy is an OC, but she is NOT a Mary Sue.

This story has not been beta-read. Is anyone out there interested in the job? Please read and enjoy. Reviews are requested.

Chapter 3

Gold was livid. He was furious beyond words as he stormed back and forth across the living room. He stomped to the west for exactly five steps, cursed, turned, stomped five steps to the east, cursed, and turned. He'd been at it for what seemed like hours, and Lucy was beginning to wonder whether her carpet was going to wear out or catch fire first.

When his anger had worn itself out, he was left only with the hurt of yet again being abandoned by one he loved and trusted. Gold stood bewildered with pain, and finding himself finally exhausted, he threw himself onto the couch and buried his head in his hands. Ever faithful, Lucy sat beside him and pulled him into her arms while he wept.

At last, he raised his soggy brown eyes to hers. "I really wish I could blame you for this," he told her in a voiced pitched so low it was barely more than a hoarse whisper.

Lucy swallowed hard and bit her lip. Tears began welling up in her pale blue eyes. "Rumple," she began with a tremulous voice.

He shook his head. "But I can't," he continued. "I can't. I can't blame you, Lucy. Most of this mess is of my own making." He nodded, and it was apparent that he was speaking to himself as much as to her. "But some of it, yeah, some of it is Belle's fault, too."

Lucy bit her lip harder, tasting blood. Where was he going with this? Was he finally going to admit that he and Belle were mismatched? She could only wait and hope.

"It's obvious that Belle doesn't trust me." He snorted. "Not that I've given her any real reasons to do so, but - "

"You were never unfaithful, never!" Lucy avowed. She clutched his shoulder, turning him to face her. "You were faithful to everyone you were ever involved with. You were true to Milah, Cora, and Belle! You aren't a cheater, Rumple."

He smiled wryly. "That's true, Lucy. Not once have I ever cheated on a loved one. Whenever I gave my heart, I always gave my devotion as well." He took her hands and held them. "But I've not always been honest."

"You are deceitful," she told him, "and you're ruthless and ambitious. But, Rumple, you were never that way in the beginning. It's the Curse that made you this way." She squeezed his hands. "You've been the Dark One for over three hundred years. You've made deals and manipulated people and events for one purpose - finding Bae. And using people has become an ingrained habit with you. But I can't and won't fault you for it because you did it all for love of your child."

He dropped his head and stared at his now obsolete wedding band. "But I can't stop, Lucy. I did trap those missing people in the hat. I did try to kill Jones." He looked up at her, expecting to see horror filling her eyes.

Instead, he only saw utter devotion. "Rumple, what you did was reprehensible," she agreed. "Both Belle and the whole town have a right to be angry with and terrified of you." She gripped his hands. "But has any one of them, including Belle, asked you why you did it?"

"No," he conceded softly. Then he burst out, "Oh, Lucy, it doesn't matter why I did it!"

"Of course it matters!" she exploded. "It matters from a legal perspective, and it matters to me. If Belle truly loved you, it would have mattered to her as well."

He growled, pulling his hands away from hers. "Don't!" he commanded. "Just don't speak of Belle that way."

Lucy settled herself back on the couch. Her tone was more subdued when she spoke again. "All right, then, you've told me what you did. Now, tell me why."

He cut his eyes at her, watching her intently. With a heavy sigh, he settled against the couch, laid his head back, and stared at the ceiling. "After Zelena enslaved me, caged me, killed my boy -" He stopped and dropped his face into his hands. Rumple gritted his teeth, but his voice was still shaking with hatred and fear when he spoke. "She made me do things, terrible things," he whispered so low, she had to strain to hear him.

"That bitch! I'd kill her myself if I could find her."

Gold turned his head to eye her speculatively, a half-grin forming. "Do you really mean that, Lucy? Would you willingly kill another human being?"

"Would I willingly kill Zelena?" Lucy snorted. "She killed Bae. She hurt you, Rumple, deliberately and cruelly. She threatened the whole town, and she tried to sacrifice a baby. She deserved to die. And you ask would I willingly kill her? Hell, I'd gleefully kill her!"

He nodded in agreement. "That was my thinking when I killed her," he admitted softly.

Puzzlement creased her features. "But Belle held your dagger. Belle and Regina. And they wouldn't let you kill her."

He nodded. "Yes, when they held my dagger, neither Regina nor Belle would let me kill her." He watched her closely to see her reaction when he added. "So I switched the dagger and gave Belle a fake one."

Lucy's mouth dropped open in surprise, but she quickly recovered. She sighed and shook her head. "You were wrong to lie to Belle about the dagger, dead wrong, Rumple, but I'm glad you killed Zelena." Softly, she added, "You know, if you'd have asked me, I would have helped you kill her."

He raised both eyebrows in surprise at her declaration. "All the same, I shouldn't have lied to Belle."

"No, you shouldn't have. I don't blame Belle one bit. I would never stand for you lying to me either," she told him with a curt nod. "So why did you?"

"Because I'm a coward, and I was afraid," he told her simply. "I knew, in my mind, that Belle would never betray me or use the dagger against me like Zelena did, but my heart was afraid, afraid that she would."

"You are not a coward, Rumple. After all you've gone through, you are more than justified in being afraid. And in being overly protective of your family." She leaned forward, stabbing the sofa with a finger in emphasis. "And, as it turns out, Belle did use the dagger to make you do her bidding."

"Let's not go there, shall we?"

"Okay, okay." She held her hands up in surrender. "Go on, Rumple, why did you cause the disappearance of the magical folk and attempt to kill Jones?"

"After Zelena, I began searching for a way to break the dagger's control over me," he explained. "In a very ancient book, I found a fragment of a spell capable of rendering the dagger pointless, giving all of its powers and control to me. I needed the sorcerer's hat, which I had, but it needed to be fully charged, and I was still missing one major ingredient for the spell."

"That's why you began storing magical beings in the hat."

"Yes, I knew it was wrong, but at the time, I felt my needs were more important than their lives."

"So, you placed your desires above their lives. That's not exactly the moral thing to do. You need to work on that, Rumple," she told him.

"I know, I know," he agreed, "but I just couldn't stand the thought of being enslaved again. I'd rather die than go back to a cage." He began to unconsciously bounce his leg in nervous agitation.

Lucy reached again for his hands, giving him a moment to compose himself. "Did you ever find the missing component for the spell to work?"

"The Snow Queen supplied the missing component," he explained. "I needed to sacrifice the heart of the one person who had known me the longest. Once I had the hat fully charged, - and I'll admit that I'd already taken the pirate's heart by then and forced him to do most of the dirty work - I opened the hat with full intentions of crushing his heart and freeing myself of the dagger."

Lucy said sadly, "But the spell didn't work, did it?"

"I don't really know," he told her. "I never got the chance to complete the spell. Belle and the family Charming showed up and stopped me before I could complete it. Then Belle threw me over the town line, and, well, you know the rest."

"No, Rumple," she told him with a melancholy twang in her voice. "It would never have worked. Killian's heart would never have worked. He hasn't known you the longest; I have."

Gold's mouth dropped open. He was thunderstruck. _Sweet Heavens_, he thought, _I would have had to sacrifice Lucy to be free_. He drew in a ragged breath. "No! No, that can't be. I could never hurt you, Lucy."

"I know, Rumple, but I'd be willing to -" She broke off and bit her lip to force back the threatening tears. " - I mean, if it would make you finally feel safe and free, I'd give -"

"No!" he roared. "Never!" Throwing his arms around her, he hugged her fiercely. "Lucy, oh, Lucy, what a treasure you are!" Rocking her in his arms, he held her and cried. His heart was breaking, and he wondered - not for the first time - if maybe he wasn't a complete fool to overlook this precious woman and her love for him.

He pulled away enough to gaze into her eyes, and he gave into the impulse to kiss her. Softly, gently, tenderly he pressed his lips to hers. And she responded, melting into his embrace. It was the second time they'd ever kissed.

Parting, she gaped at him with wild-eyed wonder. "Rumple?"

Cupping her face lovingly, he smiled. His warm brown eyes melted her. "Yes, Lucy," he whispered.

"I love you," she blurted out. "I know you don't feel the same - "

"Shh," he hushed her. "Not yet maybe, but I'm willing to try." He kissed her eyes closed then. And slowly began to kiss her brow, her cheeks, her chin, and finally her mouth. When he tilted her head to deepen the kiss, she felt her sanity slip. She twined her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his.

That was all the encouragement he needed. Suddenly they were both back in her bed with no memory of how they came to be there. Passion swirled through both of them, and its fire raced along their skin. Clothing seemingly melted away by desire, the two twined together, skin on skin. Lucy gave voice to incoherent whimpers and moans of pleasure. All of her hopes and dreams seemed on the brink of fulfillment.

Gold smiled at Lucy. He was 'impassioned far beyond any mortal man. Rising, ethereal and flushed like a throbbing star in the sapphire heaven, he melted into her dreams'1 making them his own as well. They merged together, like a garden in spring when 'the rose blends its odor with the violet in a sweet solution.'1

Later they lay together. Gold laughed softly and carded his fingers through her sweat dampened hair. He smiled. "Once upon a time," he whispered softly, "there was a rather stupid spinner who chose the wrong sister to marry - "

Lucy propped herself up on her elbow and flattened a hand against his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heart. "Rumple, did we do the right thing?"

"It's rather late to ask that question, Lucy."

"But what about Belle? What about the baby?"

A small frown sat between his brows. "Belle made her choice, and I believe it was the best decision for her." He turned on his side, facing her. "You know I still love her, and I always will because she carries my child. But, Lucy, you and I both realize how ill-suited we were." Pausing only to caress her face, he continued. "You and I understand one another, and I think - " He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. " - no, I know that we will do well together."

"You don't love me, Rumple."

"You're wrong there, Lucy. I do love you. I'm just not in love with you, but I believe, that given time, I could be. And that's enough for now." He pressed her back against the pillow and kissed her soundly.

She came up grinning and panting for breath. "All right, our first order of business is to have all charges against you dropped."

"No, dearie," he smirked down at her. "That's our third order of business."

"Third? What else do we have to do?"

"Well, our second order of business is a grand gourmet meal." He licked his lips.

Lucy was beginning to catch on. "I see. And the first?" She grinned roguishly.

Gold leaned in. "Building an appetite."

*1 This is taken directly or paraphrased from John Keats "The Eve of St. Agnes."


	4. Chapter 4

I still don't own Once Upon A Time. Wish I did. This is the third in my "Lucy" series of stories. Lucy is an OC, but she is NOT a Mary Sue.

This story has not been beta-read. Is anyone out there interested in the job? Please read and enjoy. Reviews are requested.

Chapter 4

"All right, first thing in the morning I'll surrender myself to Swan," Gold said. He wiped his mouth on the linen napkin and placed it on the table. He took a sip of wine and beckoned the waiter. "Check, please."

The waiter at _Chez Tucker_ nodded and, with an audible click of his highly polished wingtip shoes, stepped forward to lay the check on the table. Gold glanced at it, nodded, and pulled a credit card from his wallet. "Add another hundred for a tip," he told the young man as he casually handed over the bill and card.

The young man beamed. "Yes, sir, thank you, sir." He quickly disappeared.

"And while you're turning yourself in, I'll file a motion for dismissal of all charges with Judge Wolfgang and get you an appointment with Dr. Hopper." Lucy sipped her tea. "This is really a nice place. Thank you for bringing me here."

"I'm glad you like it. I wasn't sure when I heard there was a live band playing rock and roll." He took another drink of the Merlot. "I generally prefer classical, but the band isn't so bad."

"They're quite good, actually," she agreed. "I didn't realize how much of the 80's rock was suitable for dancing."

He grinned. "Would you care to dance, then?"

She cocked an eyebrow in concern. "Do you think you could manage it?"

"Of course," he countered, rising from his seat. He moved smoothly around the table and held her chair. She set her glass down and reached for his hands. As he led her to the dance floor, he bent to whisper in her ear. "And if I can't manage it, I have a beautiful woman to hold on to."

"Scoundrel!" She swatted him playfully as they swayed in time with the music. Softly, Lucy murmured along with the music. "Hypnotized by you if I should linger,  
Staring at the ring around your finger."1

Gold smiled at her. "Do you really think they'll buy the idea that I'm suffering from - what was it again?"

"Post-traumatic stress disorder," she supplied. "And, yes, I do. You show many of the symptoms."

"Hmmm," he grunted. "And I suppose, at best, I'll be ordered to undergo psychiatric treatment with Hopper and given a huge fine."

"And, at worst you'll be jailed," she told him. "They can't actually send you to prison because there isn't one here in Storybrooke."

"Ah, but they could banish me from Storybrooke again," he suggested grimly.

"Not while I have the dagger." Lucy reached down to pat the dagger, holstered against her hip.

First thing Saturday morning, Gold presented himself at the Sheriff's office. He was immaculately dressed in a suit by Brooks Brothers. Its steel grey color picked up the silver in his brown hair, and the bright blue shirt was a perfect setting for the dark yellow silk tie and handkerchief.

Clasping both hands atop his cane, he cleared his throat, gathering the Sheriff's attention. "Good morning, Sheriff Swan," he began his practiced speech, "I am here to surrender myself to you."

Emma wheeled around, her heart pounding in her chest. "How the hell did you get in here?" She had come in early to catch up on paperwork and had thought herself alone.

Gold smiled. He moved towards her, taking small, non-threatening steps. "Magic?" he quipped. "I was waiting outside and saw the light come on, so I let myself in."

Emma narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "And, you want to surrender yourself?"

"Yes," he told her. "I should have done yesterday, but I was dealing with too many personal issues. I wasn't thinking clearly. There are charges against me, aren't there?"

"You could say that." She nodded and reached behind her for a folder on her desk, never taking her eyes from his. "I didn't file them before because, honestly, I didn't think you'd be able to return after Belle kicked you out of town."

His eyes briefly flickered down to his naked ring finger and smiled sadly. "Yes, well, neither did I; however, I am here now and would like to 'do the right thing' for once and surrender to the authorities." He looked around the office, and then he slowly limped across the room, his cane and shoes clicking smartly on the floor. With a careless twitch of a single finger, he conjured a chair and sat down opposite her desk. He looked up at her expectantly.

"Just make yourself at home," Emma muttered sarcastically. She moved around and sat at her desk and flipped open the folder. "First, I'll read you your Miranda rights and then give you a copy of your charges."

When he'd finished reading through the file, Gold looked up. "These charges are not accurate," he told her, "but I'm content to wait for my attorney. She will be here later this morning." He pointed towards the cells with his cane. "Will you be locking me in a cell until then?

"I don't think so," Emma admitted. "If you can materialize into the office at will, what good would it do to lock you up? You could pop in and out as it suited you."

He shrugged but answered sincerely. "Well, yes, but I wouldn't."

A squeaking of hinges in the outer office alerted the pair that someone else was entering the building. "Mom?" Henry's voice called out.

Emma, already half-way to the door when the door knob rattled, unlocked the office door and propped it open. "It's my turn to get Henry for the weekend," she told her prisoner.

Regina, carrying an overnight bag, stood outside the door. Although her usual fashionable clothing was replaced by blue jeans, boots, and a green flannel shirt, she still carried herself like a queen.

Swan eyed the mayor's odd choice of dress. It might have been far more casual than Regina normally wore, but Emma noticed they all still carried designer labels. Grinning, Swan opened her mouth to about her lack of royal array, but before she could, Henry hugged her. "Morning, Mom."

"Morning, Kiddo." Emma ruffled his hair affectionately. "Thanks for bringing him early, Re - " She stopped in mid-word. Emma grasped Henry's chin and tilted his face up to the light. His left eye was purple and swollen.

"Henry!" Emma called out. She squatted down and grabbed him by the arms. "What happened?" Her voice was low and angry.

Gold stood, a menacing look thundering across his face. "What happened to the boy?" he demanded.

Regina Mills stopped cold when she spotted Gold. "What's he doing here?" She grasped Henry's backpack and pulled him back.

"Surrendering to authorities, believe it or not," Emma told her. She stood and gently removed Regina's hand. As Henry moved towards his grandfather, Emma whispered, "It's okay, Regina. Gold isn't going to harm his own grandson."

"I don't trust him," Regina argued. "Not one little bit." She set the overnight bag down near the door. "As for Henry's eye, I don't know what happened. He refuses to say."

"Grandpa Gold?" Henry asked softly as he gingerly approached the older man. He set his backpack down. "I hope you're well today." His unsaid question hung in the air.

"Refused to say?" Emma frowned. "Henry, what happened to your eye?"

Henry turned to face Emma and Regina. A rebellious mulish expression shone from his angry brown eyes. Gold's matching brown eyes reflected an identical angry expression.

They stood there, both so stubborn, looking so much alike that Regina snorted a laugh. She shook her head. "You won't get any answers from him," she told Emma loudly enough for Gold to hear. "Apparently Henry can be as mule-headed as his grandfather."

The old man smiled, and he laid his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Thank you," he said softly. "We," he gestured to himself and Henry, "take that as a compliment."

Henry grinned. "Grandpa and I aren't stubborn," he asserted. "We're both just determined."

"Well, maybe big mule can find out what happened to little mule?" Emma hinted broadly.

Gold looked back and forth between the two women. "Perhaps a man to man discussion wouldn't go amiss," Gold replied. "If you two hens would leave us men alone, that is."

Regina rolled up the sleeves on her plaid shirt. "I hope you can help him with math, too. He's got some project to finish -"

Gold nodded briskly. "Henry, how about you set up your school work over there?" He pointed to a table across the room.

"Okay," the boy replied cheerfully. Henry picked up his backpack and quickly moved over to the table.

"Thank you both for allowing me to spend time with him," he murmured softly. "He has Bae's eyes." Gold's own eyes were an identical warm brown, and he wondered if his and Belle's child would have those same dark eyes. He stood and moved towards the table.

"I don't exactly trust him either," Emma admitted as she walked Regina to the door, "but he loves Henry." Together they paused at the door. "Don't worry, Regina," she told her. "You just have a great weekend with Robin." Smirking, Emma had to ask. "What's the Paul Bunyan look for?"

She shook her dark glossy hair. Her tone was imperial as she kept fighting the battle to roll up the long sleeves. "I really don't know what you mean."

"You're lying. I can tell. It's my superpower, you know."

Regina sniffed. "Oh, all right, Robin is taking me camping."

Emma burst out laughing and earned a regal glare. "Sorry," she lied glibly. "Look, don't worry. Gold can handle the math project, and he can probably get Henry to open up about the black eye, too. But if he can't then either Killian or Dad can get Henry to talk."

"I doubt if he'll tell either of us what really happened." Regina shrugged elegantly. "But please see if you can get him to finish the math project. It's due Monday. I'll be back Sunday evening around six to pick him up."

"Good morning, Madam Mayor," David Nolan said brightly as he held the door open for the departing queen. Captain Jones bowed respectfully as she exited past.

Instantly Nolan stepped in front of Jones, blocking his view of Gold.

1 The Police "Wrapped Around Your Finger"


	5. Chapter 5

I still don't own Once Upon A Time. Wish I did. This is the third in my "Lucy" series of stories.

This story has not been beta-read. Is anyone out there interested in the job? Please read and enjoy. Reviews are requested.

Chapter 5

Killian Jones was puzzled by Nolan's strange behavior until he caught sight of Gold across the room. The early morning sunlight fell across the old man shoulders, making him a perfect target as he sat there with his back to the room. Red anger suffused Jones' face, and the roaring of blood in his ears blocked out all coherent thought. The ex-pirate didn't hear Emma or David as they tried to halt his militant march towards his enemy. As he surged forward, he saw young Henry sitting next to the old crocodile. The two of them were working together quietly. The sight of the boy, so much like his father, brought his desire for revenge to heel.

A chair slid across the room with a scraping whoosh and stopped itself at the table next to Henry. "Have a seat, Jones," Gold called out. "I'd like to speak with you." He never even turned around.

A black scowl on his face, Jones sullenly stepped over to the table and perched on the chair. Only the presence of Henry, Emma's son, Baelfire's son, Milah's grandson, kept him from attacking the old man. "Good morning, Henry lad," he told the boy.

Henry smiled up at the pirate. "Hey, Killian."

When he saw Henry's face, the one-time pirate winced and settled back onto the chair. He whistled low. "Hmm, that's quite the shiner you have, there." He pointed with the curve of his hook. "How'd you come by that?"

"I don't think they're likely to break into open combat with Henry sitting between them," David remarked quietly to Emma.

She nodded and smiled absently. _Yep, only Henry could perform that miracle._ "Okay, let's work on the missing pig case." She sat down and handed him a folder. "I'd bet good money Piperson, Jr. is involved." Soon the two of them were deep in investigative research.

Henry glanced down at the table, clearly embarrassed and unwilling to tell.

"All righty, then, mate," Killian said. "You don't have to say anything." He looked at the open books in front of Henry. "So, what's this I heard about a math project?"

Henry looked back and forth between the two men. "Our teacher, Miss Muffet, told us to pick two partners for a project. We're supposed to work in a group to build a scale model of something from the Enchanted Forest."

"Learning to working with a partner or two to solve a problem is a valuable skill," Gold said, carefully gauging Jones' reaction as well as the boy's.

Henry sighed. "Bobby Shafto was my first choice because I knew he would want to build a model of a sailing ship," Henry stated bluntly.

"Well, clearly this Shafto is an intelligent young fellow," Killian declared with an superior smirk. "I know every detail of a sailing ship. If your grandfather - " he pointed at Gold with his hook - "can solve the mathematical equations, we should have no problem with this."

Henry gave a wry smile. "Yeah, Bobby is really smart." Then, he muttered, "The guy's also the quarterback of the football team."

Gold, who was watching carefully, could see that there was far more to Henry's seemingly innocuous and unrelated comment. He composed his next statement carefully, baiting it to get more information. "I see no problem with completing the mathematics involved." He waved his hand in a gesture of dismissal. "But, aren't you supposed to work with your two schoolmates on this ship project instead of the captain and me?"

The boy dropped his head, unwilling to explain. Jones frowned. He stared into Gold's calculating brown eyes. Something was wrong. "Aye, Henry, " - Amazingly, Jones found himself agreeing with Gold - "not that we aren't willing to assist you, but what happened to this Shafto and your other partner?"

With a surreptitious glance at the Sheriff and her deputy, Henry faced the two men. He wet his lips nervously. "Okay," he said, lowering his voice to a whisper. He looked up to his mother's boyfriend. "I picked Bobby because he's really popular. I knew he liked ships, and I figured with your help, I could get in with the cool crowd." Killian beamed with these words, and Henry turned to face his grandfather. "Then I was going to ask Eddie Lear because he has knows about ships, too. He has a green sail boat and is really smart, but - "

Gold cocked an eyebrow. "But what, lad?" he asked softly.

"Jill Jackson sat with me at lunch all this past week, and she asked to join us." He gave a half-shrug, flipped open a tablet of drawing paper, and began to doodle. "She said she'd love to spend more time with me," he said to the paper.

Killian hummed to himself. He had a bad feeling, and he could tell that Gold did, too. "So, your group is comprised of you, Shafto, and this Jackson girl?" Killian asked with a frown and growing trepidation. "Instead of the Lear boy?"

Henry looked up at the men. His eyes were flickering desperately back and forth between them. "See, I asked Jill to join us because, well," he swallowed anxiously, "she's really, really pretty. She's got dark eyes that sparkle and long dark hair and - "

Gold smiled grimly. "I see." He laid a hand on the boy's shoulder and squeezed. "You needn't say more, Henry."

Heaving a sigh that originated near his toes, Henry opened up. "Jill doesn't care about me," he told them. "She just used me to get to Bobby. And neither of them care about the project because they know I'll do all the work because I care about my grades and - " He huffed in anger and gritted his back teeth.

Gold's hard eyes met Killian's. "What happened, Henry?" he asked gingerly.

"When I finally figured out the truth, I confronted them both at lunch," Henry told them. "Jill called me a nerd in front of everyone and said she wouldn't go out with me if I were the last guy on earth. She said it was embarrassing to even be seen talking to a geek like me." His eyes begged them to understand. "When Bobby started laughing, I guess I lost my temper and called him some ugly name. He challenged me to a fight, but I was afraid to fight him. I mean, the guy is already as big as Grandpa Nolan, and - "

Killian rubbed his hand over his mouth. Henry's situation was sounding far too famliar. For the first time, he faced the reality of his own actions oh-so many years ago when he, an arrogant berk, had mistreated a poor cripple in much the same way this Shafto had humiliated Henry.

" - then he started shoving me, and I fell. Everyone was screaming with laughter, especially Jill. I was just so scared to fight back because I knew he'd wiped the floor with me."

"It's a hard thing to admit that you're afraid, Henry," Gold told him. His voice, harsh like sandpaper, showed the deep hurt he felt for his grandson. The pain echoed through his heart as he remembered being placed in the same situation many, many years ago.

"That's because I'm a coward," Henry said bitterly as he hung his head.

"No," Killian disagreed, "you are not a coward. It was an act of great bravery to face Shafto and the girl instead of simply allowing them to use you." Jones' eyes caught Gold's, and his words, though directed to the boy, were meant for the man as well. "Henry, you used good judgment in not making a bad situation worse. Shafto was wrong, dead wrong, to take advantage of a smaller, defenseless lad."

Gold knew there was more to the story when Henry began squirming in his seat. And he had a bad feeling that the boy was taking after him in more ways than one. "Henry, there's still something you're not telling us," he alleged. "What did you do?"

The boy looked startled. "How did you - "

"I'm the Dark One, remember?" Gold stared into the boy's eyes, eyes so like his own.

Henry, red faced, completed his confession. "Okay, the next day I swiped some methylene blue from the chemistry lab. Then at lunch when Bobby wasn't looking, I poured it in his milk."

Gold covered his face with his hands and shook his head.

"What?" Killian asked. "I don't understand."

"Uh, methylene blue is a chemical that dyes urine blue," Henry admitted. He dropped his face.

"You made this Shafto piss blue?" he squeaked. Over the boy's head, Killian shot Gold a look of amazement.

Henry nodded miserably. "When he found out it was me, he smashed me in the face and knocked me down." Henry's face was mottled a dark red with shame as he admitted his misdeed. "That's how I got the black eye."

"Henry," Gold spoke softly but earnestly, "what you did was wrong." He held out his hand to forestall the boy's argument. "Oh, I do understand. The desire for revenge is something I have a unique understanding of, but it's wrong." Ducking his head briefly, he took a deep breath and raised his eyes to meet Captain Jones'. "No matter the provocation, one should never attempt revenge - especially when a fickle woman is the cause."

"Which is not to say that it's wrong to fight for what you believe in or that you should allow bullies to take advantage of you just because you're physically weaker," added the pirate. He, too, was speaking as much to the other man as to the boy.

For a long moment, Henry doodled on the paper before him, thinking over what the men had said. "Thanks," he told them. "I feel better now."

Gold smiled. "I have an idea. Why don't you go get the Lear boy? Your mother can write Miss Muffet a note explaining that neither Shafto nor Jackson took part in this project. Jones and I will design the ship and set up the mathematical equations. You and Lear can complete the work and build the boat. Your grades will be intact, and - "

"And I'll take everyone aboard the Jolly Roger later tonight," Killian offered.

"Great!" Henry jumped from his chair and dashed to Emma's desk. He picked up the phone and began dialing. When he hung up, he asked his mom, "Since my two project partners didn't show up, I asked Eddie Lear to join. Can you or Grandpa take me to pick him up?"

A bewildered Emma nodded. "Okay, kid. Dad, can you watch - " She gestured towards Gold and Jones who sat unnaturally quiet, calmly staring at each other.

"Sure, Emma," Nolan replied. "I'll call you if anything happens."

Hook and Gold continued their staring contest. When the door closed behind Emma and Henry, a great bubble of laughter escaped, and Hook broke down in peals of laughter. Gold's lips quirked involuntarily as the older man tried desperately to control himself, but he failed. And both men, to the complete bafflement of Deputy David Nolan, laughed long and loudly until tears ran down their cheeks.


	6. Chapter 6

I still don't own Once Upon A Time. Wish I did. This is the third in my "Lucy" series of stories.

This story has not been beta-read. Is anyone out there interested in the job? Please read and enjoy. Reviews are requested.

Chapter 6

When attorney Lucy Farmer and Dr. Archie Hopper entered the room, they were treated to the sight of Mr. Gold and Captain Jones playing chess. Beside them at the table watching intently sat Henry and another boy. A model ship perched proudly atop Henry's math book.

"Can I help you?" Emma asked pointedly. She closed the folder she was working from, capped her pen and set it on top.

Ms. Farmer smiled a bit ruefully. "You already have, Sheriff," she said softly, "and I truly thank you." She cleared her throat and spoke a little louder as she gestured towards the tall man behind her. "Dr. Hopper needs a place to conduct a preliminary interview with my client. Is there somewhere they can speak privately?"

Swan nodded. "Yeah, they can talk over there in my office." She jerked her head to the left.

"Mr. Gold?" Hopper called, indicating the office. Together they headed toward the enclosed room in the corner.

Lucy watched them before seating herself across from the blonde woman. "Sheriff, we need to go over some legalities if you're available."

Glancing towards Henry and his friend, Emma frowned at the attorney. "I don't know if now is - "

"No problem there, love," Killian, having ambled over, told her. "Good morning, Solicitor." He gave the smaller woman his most charming grin. "You're looking quite lovely today. That rose colored blouse is most becoming."

Lucy snorted with humor. "Yes, after the other evening I'm sure I'd look 'quite lovely' today no matter what I was wearing. I do apologize to you both." She told them sincerely. "That was my first drop of alcohol, and I can promise you that it will be my last."

"Don't worry about it, Farmer," Swan told her. "I've been there myself a time or two."

Killian pointed over his shoulder. "I'll take the boys to see my ship before taking Lear home." Turning, he called loudly, "Who wants to explore the Jolly Roger?" Both boys scrambled eagerly towards the ex-pirate, and they left.

"May I see the charges pending against my client?" Lucy set her briefcase on the floor.

Sheriff Swan handed over a rather thick folder. "I don't know what you can do legally about this. He's guilty as hell, you know."

Lucy smiled as she read quickly through the case. "Actually, Sheriff, I do believe we can settle this situation quite quickly." Reaching down for her briefcase, Lucy opened it and pulled out a few papers. "As you can see," Lucy stated as she handed the papers to Emma, "I've been to see Judge Wolfgang this morning."

Emma frowned as she read. "Post-traumatic stress disorder?" She looked up at the attorney. "Are you seriously going to try to get him out of these charges on a bogus mental disorder? When did Gold get post traumatic stress disorder?"

"It hasn't been _officially_ diagnosed," Lucy snapped. "That's why Dr. Hopper is interviewing him now." She inhaled deeply, trying to stay calm. "Have you any idea what that man has gone through? He killed his own father and sacrificed his own life to protect his son and grandson as well as the whole town!"

Sheriff Swan blushed. "Yeah, well - "

"Then, the poor man was resurrected by that vicious green hag," she continued, "who made him watch as she killed Baelfire!"

"But, um - "

"And, he was enslaved, half-starved, and - " She was nearly sputtering in her anger. "Heaven only knows what that bitch forced him to do!"

"Look, I am sorry - "

"And when it was all over, did anyone give him one tiny bit of thanks?" Lucy poured out her vitriol. "The only kindness he was offered was when your parents named their baby after Baelfire."

"You know I understand about Neal," Emma retorted hotly. Tears of anger were welling in her eyes.

"If you had gone through half of that, just half - " Lucy was on a roll and her chest was heaving with fury. " - what lengths would you go through to keep it from happening again? Hmm, Sheriff? Would you be willing to tell a few lies to people who had lied to you? Would you maybe value someone else's life less than your own? Someone who scorned you? Would you, in your fear and pain, be willing to sacrifice the life of another to spare yourself? The life of someone who hated you?"

Emma's tears were spilling over now. "Look, Farmer, I get it, all right?" She hissed angrily. "I am so very, very sorry for all he's gone through. I do appreciate all he's done, not only what he's done for all of us, but also for what he did for Neal and Henry." Emma's voice dropped to an anguished, husky tone. "I loved Neal, too, you know. If he hadn't died, I'd - "

She broke off here. She was offering too much information, too much personal information, to someone she didn't really know. Taking a deep breath and biting back bitter words, Emma mastered her emotions. She nodded and held out her hands in surrender. "I know Gold went through hell, but he can't murder others to save himself."

"A case of self-defense brought about because of a severe case of post-traumatic stress disorder, Sheriff, not murder," Lucy emphasized. "And if he is able to release those missing individuals from the sorcerer's hat, the worst charge you could bring would be kidnapping. Then, too, those charges could be challenged."

That thought opened up new possibilities. "Do you think he can free them from the hat?" Emma frowned in concentration.

"He believes so, and he's willing to try." Farmer pointed to the bottom of the paper. "The judge thinks so as well. If he can free the magical people from the hat and is willing to undergo intense psychotherapy with Dr. Hopper on a regular on-going basis, Judge Wolfgang has agreed to have all charges dismissed due to extenuating circumstances."

"What about the attempted murder of Captain Jones?"

"We had a restraining order filed against Jones, which he apparently violated this morning here in your office, Sheriff," Famer pointed out. When Emma opened her mouth to protest, Lucy waved away her comments. "It doesn't really matter anymore from what I saw when I walked in. The whole case could be dropped if they've forgiven one another as it seems."

Emma shook her head in disbelief. "Okay, Farmer, but can you guarantee that he won't pull another stunt like this again?

"Can anyone ever guarantee the behavior of another?" Lucy smiled. "No, I can't, but I can help him try to control himself." She held up the Kris dagger, displaying it to Emma. "I will not use the dagger to order him around or control him. That's what caused a great deal of his problems - someone enslaving him - but I can help mitigate the seductive pull of the power that the dagger gives him." She replaced the dagger into the sheath.

Picking up the papers, Emma signed the bottom and handed them back to Lucy. "You'll need Dr. Hopper's signature and Gold's as well before I can release him. He'll also need to keep me apprised of where he is residing."

"Thank you, Sheriff," Lucy said. "Temporarily, he will be staying with me at Golden Retreat Apartments until Ms. Belle French has moved from the former familial home. After that, we'll be staying at his former address." She caught her slip the same time as Emma did.

"You're in love with him, aren't you?" Emma whispered with an understanding smile.

Lucy's eyes flickered down to the paper in her hands, the paper she'd spent all morning working on, the paper dismissing Rumple of all charges. She lay the paper down on the desk and carefully folded her hands atop. She swallowed and looked Sheriff Swan in the face with fierce determination. "I did not do anything to break up his marriage with Belle French."

Emma snorted with humor. "I know that," she responded softly. "They were so mismatched, they were doomed from the get-go."

One corner of her mouth twitched upward. "I've known him since I was fifteen," she admitted, "since he came courting my older sister, Milah."

"Wasn't she Neal's, uh, Baelfire's mother?" Emma asked,

Lucy raised one eyebrow. "She was, and a more selfish cow, I've never met. Did Bae ever tell you that his mother left them when he was a child?" When Emma shook her head, Lucy continued. "Milah left Rumple, a poor cripple, to take care of a small child alone while she ran off with the notorious pirate, Captain Killian Jones." She paused to gauge the Sheriff's reaction to her words.

Swan was fairly stunned by that bit of news, but she refused to let it show. "That would explain the bad blood between them," Emma remarked blandly, keeping her poker face. "But I heard Gold killed Milah and cut off Killian's hand."

"That happened a good ten years later," Lucy explained, "but that, too, is only part of the story." The office door opened, and Hopper and Gold appeared. She added with a smile, "And it's not really my story to tell."

Emma nodded. "What's the verdict, doctor?"

Dr. Hopper, looking sickened by what he'd been told, squared his shoulders and walked with determined steps across the room. He removed his glasses, wiped them with his handkerchief, and returned them to his face. "I'm more than willing to sign the papers," he stated bluntly.

Relying heavily on his cane, Gold approached. His eyes were red-rimmed, and he looked miserable. "I'll see you every Friday afternoon at 1:00 just as you said, Dr. Hopper. May I go, now?"

His voice held tiniest hint of begging, and it caught at their hearts. "You just need to sign there below Hopper's signature," Emma told him. She indicated the spot.

Gold's hand was firm as he signed the papers, and he smiled gratefully at Lucy. She rose and took his arm with her own, giving him the opportunity to secretly lean on her if he needed. "Let's go."

Dr. Hopper's phone chirped loudly, startling him. Whatever Gold had told him had truly affected him. "Wait," he called out. Archie squeezed his eyes shut and bowed his head. Opening his eyes slowly, he stared again at the text message, willing it to change. It didn't. "I don't know how to tell you this," he muttered, still staring at the phone. Looking up, the psychiatrist licked his lips, his eyes darting from one to another. He opened and closed his mouth twice before he could get the words out. "Ruby just sent me a text."

"What's happened?" Gold demanded. "Is Henry all right?"

Hopper shook his head and faced them. "Belle's at the hospital. She's had a miscarriage."


	7. Chapter 7

I still don't own Once Upon A Time. Wish I did. This is the third in my "Lucy" series of stories.

This story has not been beta-read. Is anyone out there interested in the job? Please read and enjoy. Reviews are requested.

Chapter 7

"Please let her be all right," Lucy implored of the ceiling. "Please. Just please." She was holding Rumple's arm as he twisted his cane around and around. The hospital's hallway was clinically cold, brightly lit, and devoid of comfort.

As Dr. Whale exited the room, the door closed with a soft snick.

Immediately, Gold jumped forward, his cane snapping smartly against the floor. "May I see her, doctor?"

"Not just yet," the Whale replied soothingly. "She isn't ready to see you, but she knows you're out here waiting for her."

Gold's eyes were a muddy brown, darkened with pain and hurt. He swallowed. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Whale shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. That's confidential information." Gold's countenance fell, his face an ashen gray. For the first time since Bae's death, the Dark One looked ready to cry. Whale was shocked to see the powerful wizard reduced to such a sad state, and he took pity on the old man. The doctor wet his lips, looked carefully up and down the corridor, then he stepped in closer. "She fell off a ladder at the library," he confided in a whisper. "There was some deep bruising, and she had a mild concussion. She's fine except for the loss of the baby. She's young and strong. She'll recover in no time." He took a step backward. "I'm sorry." Turning on his heel, Whale walked quickly down the passage. The sound of his shoes clicking on the polished floor followed him.

Once again the door opened, and this time Dr. Hopper leaned out. "Mr. Gold? Belle would like to see you now."

Gold squeezed Lucy's hand once before entering the room, leaving Lucy alone in the hall.

After what seemed like forever, the door opened again, and Ruby Lucas French exited. She jerked her chin at the attorney. "They want you," she told her.

Lucy ventured inside to see Rumple standing beside Belle's bed holding her hand. Both of them looked pale and tired. On the opposite side of the bed stood a troubled Moe French. Ruby moved briskly over to the window.

Dr. Hopper occupied the lone chair in the room. He was jotting something down in a small notebook. "Ms. French, now is not the time to make any important decisions. You've just been through several extreme emotional upheavals in a very short time frame," Hopper was saying. "You're emotionally fragile, and you need to take some time to step back from the situation."

"That's right, Belle," French advised gently. "You just take your time to rest, and let those who love you look after you. You can stay with me for as long as you want."

"Or I can stay with you," Ruby added, her voice full of concern. "Just let us take care of you, Belle."

Lucy hesitated when she saw Rumple and Belle holding hands. Her heart was breaking - again. She could see what was happening; she'd watched it all before. But she gathered the remnants of her rapidly unraveling dignity and stepped further in the room. "I am so sorry for your loss," Lucy said. Her words were meant for them both, but her eyes were trained on Rumple. Again, she moved forward until she stood at the foot of the bed. "Belle," she whispered, "I know how you feel. I've lost two babies myself."

"When?" Gold demanded. He stepped awkwardly towards her and grabbed her arm.

Lucy shook her head at him. "It was a long, long time ago," she answered shortly. "It doesn't matter now."

"It does to me," he retorted. But, she waved him off.

"Belle," she started before being interrupted.

"I know you care about Rumple," Belle replied, "but I - "

Lucy held out her hands palms outward. "Please, Belle," she interrupted, "let me get this out while I can. You're right. I do love Rumple." She huffed out a breath. "I always have. I just want him to be happy, and if he's happier with you, then so be it." She flicked her gaze to his sad brown eyes. "I wish I could say I've reached the limits of my patience with you - " She smiled sadly at him. " - but that would be a lie. No matter what, no matter when, I'll always be here to pick up the pieces for you."

"You have always been there, sitting in the wings, waiting for Rumple," Belle stated quietly. Tears began to slide down her cheeks. "I love Rumple, Lucy. He's my True Love. I need him, but I don't know if I can compete with his love of power. I don't know if I can tolerate his - " She broke off.

Lucy said with a sad smile, "That's why you should listen to Dr. Hopper. You've been through so much. You shouldn't make any important decisions for a while." She clenched her jaw, collecting her words carefully. "But, Belle, I want to beg you this one thing. When you do feel ready to make a decision, make it a lifetime commitment." She huffed a sigh of frustration and pointed back and forth between Belle and Rumple. "First, you were together, then you weren't. And, then, you got back together and got married. Then you were angry with him and kicked him out of town. Then you separated and filed for divorce but reconciled. Again you got teed off with him and forced through the divorce." Lucy took a deep breath. "Belle, I don't know about Rumple, but I'm beginning to feel a bit like a yo-yo."

"Oh, Lucy, dear," Rumple said softly, "you don't understand." Again he reached for her hands and gathered them to his breast, pulling her to his side. He gazed earnestly into her eyes. "Belle and I won't be reconciling again. We've found that we are ill-suited." As his words penetrated her mind, Gold turned a quick glance to Belle.

"You know I still love you, Rumple," Belle replied softly, "but everyone seems to think it's for the best if we stay apart." She shook her lovely head, her soft brown hair rustling against the pillow. "I just don't want to think about it. I only know that I - " The tears came again, and she covered her face and cried.

Moe jumped to his daughter's side and gently gathered her in his arms. "Hush, little girl," he told her, "You're my darling daughter, and I'll take of you just like I always have." He rocked her from side to side, crooning in her ear. "That's right, daughter, just let your father take care of you."

Ruby and Archie, moving as if they were one, gathered on the opposite side of her bed. Ruby softly smoothed down Belle's hair, while Archie held Ruby's shoulder.

"Good night, Miss Lucas, Moe," Gold said. "I know you'll both take care of Belle, but if you find you need anything, anything at all, please do not hesitate to call for my assistance." He smiled sadly at them.

Moe glowered up at the former Dark One. "I don't think we'll have any need to call you, so you can just - " was all he managed to say before he was interrupted by Ruby.

"But if we do, we will call you. _ I'll_ call you," she promised Gold. She met Moe's angry glare. "Sometimes things just don't work out the way you want them to," she told him before she looked down at her best friend. "It's nobody's fault." She shrugged.

Archie nodded. "Very wise words, Ruby. Good night, Mr. Gold, Ms. Farmer."

Gold nodded. "Good night, Dr. Hopper, I'll see you at 1:00 sharp Friday afternoon." He took a stunned Lucy by the arm and led her from the room.

Silently, she held out the car keys to him as they walked back up the hall. "Rumple," she whispered hoarsely, "did you - " she swallowed back the threatening tears " - did you just choose me over Belle?"

His smile was soft. "Don't you think it's about time I did?"

"That's not what I asked you," she replied. "Answer the question, please." Her legs were moving automatically, keeping up with him. She was still stunned.

"Ever the lawyer," he snorted. They exited the building and crossed the parking lot. As always, he opened the door for her before walking around to the driver's side. He cranked up the car, put it in gear, and was pulling out of the parking lot before Lucy recovered her senses.

"Rumple," she asked in a tiny, timid voice, "did you really just choose me over Belle?"

He reached over and clasped her hand. "Yes, Lucy, I chose you." He laughed, then, with real happiness. "Just as I should have ages ago."

Lucy sniffed and brushed away the tears. "Damn right," she told him. "Now, take me home."


End file.
